Artemisias
by kynigos
Summary: Five years had passed since the battle against Kronos and his army; it was peaceful once again, however something goes wrong. Can Percy and Artemis solve the problem and ignore their growing attraction? -Percy x Artemis/Pertemis-
1. Chapter 1

**'Artemisias'**

— _murasaki no chou  
_

Summary: Percy never bathed in the River Styx, therefore he isn't invulnerable. Five years had passed since the battle against Kronos and his army, but what would happen if things go wrong? Percy and the goddess, Artemis, are slowly developing feelings toward each other; that can't end well, can it? Meanwhile, a new enemy has appeared, but no one knows who or what it is.

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and I never will.

* * *

It had been five years since the battle against Kronos and his army. Everything was peaceful once more with the help of young Percy Jackson, Luke Castellan and their friends. Without them, Artemis and everyone knew, the Olympians would've faded until they were no more and Kronos, the Titan Lord of Time, would've completely destroyed over Olympus . The Greek deities would be forever in debt with the demigods, especially the son of Poseidon—the child of the prophecy—and Luke Castellan—the hero who had given up his life to stop Kronos.

Artemis smiled slightly at that; she knew they would have to reward Percy for all his efforts, but the deities had already offered him immortality, and he had refused. Instead, Percy had asked for the deities to recognise their children; claim them early so that they wouldn't feel insecure and side with the villains; and to make a place at Camp Half-Blood for Hades and all the children of the minor gods. It benefited everyone, and that made Artemis quite glad for the hero wasn't selfish and wanted all the children of the gods feel welcome. However, she thought that they still have to repay him one way or another.

Artemis stepped out of her cosy tent, nodding when her Hunters greeted her as she passed by. She had told them that they would be setting camp for the night at a forest near New York after chasing and eradicating a couple of hellhounds that seemed to be appearing out of nowhere, witch couldn't be right. Artemis had a bad feeling about this, but she didn't dare tell her Hunters; she didn't need to worry them any further. Artemis could sense that they're slowly realising something out of place, but just couldn't tell what it was. The wary glances they were shooting her screamed that they demanded confirmation from her.

A hand touched her shoulder, startling the goddess, but she didn't show it. Artemis turned around deliberately, careful not to give anything away. Her lips twitched at the corner of her mouth, a small smile forming as she said in recognition, "Thalia, is there something you need from me?" The aforementioned girl hesitantly nodded, motioning for Artemis to follow her deep in the forest. Artemis told Thalia to wait and that she would inform the Hunters first before following her. After that, Artemis trailed after Thalia who was nervously touching the mace canister in the pocket of her silver parka.

The sky above was clear and pure blue; stars were shining brightly as they accompanied the beautiful, glowing full moon in heaven. Constellations such as the Auriga, Andromeda and the newest addition, The Huntress, to honour the deceased lieutenant of Artemis, Zoë Nightshade, was gleaming majestically; decorating the sky with their delicate forms. The trees and long grasses below looked dazzling under the moonlight; swaying in harmony when a soft gust of warm wind blew by. They seemed to embrace Thalia and Artemis as though protecting them from any harm that may befall them.

When they were far enough from camp and out of the Hunters hearing range, Thalia stopped on her tracks and faced Artemis; she immediately thought that she wouldn't like what her dear lieutenant had to say. She certainly hoped it wasn't because of _that_ that Thalia was acting this way. It couldn't be; there must be another reason for her unusual actions.

They stood there for a while, the wind making their hair dance in a steady rhythm. Somewhere in the forest, birds were signing gracious songs, relaxing Artemis' every nerve. She wasn't sure if she had enough patience to stand there and worry her Hunters; Artemis was about to voice her thoughts when Thalia began, "I—I'm sorry."

The Goddess of the Hunt remained impassive, studying her lieutenant and half-sister in silence. Finally, she spoke in a gentle voice, "Sorry, for what? Thalia, there is nothing to be forgiven; you did not do anything wrong, I assure you." Artemis noted how her half-sister looked so fragile at the moment; how Thalia's lips were pulled down at the sides to a frown, her eyebrows meeting together with a crease on her forehead, her pale her complexion was under the ray of the moon as if she was facing her doom, and how her electric blue eyes seemed so lost as her dark hair flowed against the wind. Thalia appeared to be a child awaiting punishment.

"I don't know what to say but, Lady Artemis, I've been having these dreams..." she trailed off, looking like she didn't want to talk about it yet, at the same time, she wanted to get it off of her chest. Thalia took a deep breath, courageously staring straight into Artemis' silver eyes that seemed to be able to see through her very soul. "They're not normal, that I'm sure of, and it's like they're telling me that something bad is—"

Thalia didn't get to finish her sentence as Artemis signalled her to stop. There were faint sounds of twigs snapping and heavy breathing nearby. The Goddess mouthed that they had better check it out, in case it was another hellhound, or other mythological creatures, getting ready to attack. They both advanced toward where the noise was coming from, preparing their weapons for offence.

As the duo got closer, they could hear the faint voices of the intruders some distance away. Artemis and Thalia exchanged glances; an invoiced agreement happening between them. They crept to where the intruders were, and Artemis had to stop Thalia from charging out of sheer anger because of what they saw.

Four empousa were circling a body belonging to a teenager, staring at it hungrily. They looked like regular mortal girls in short skirts, thin blouses and stilettos—a very disturbing kind of clothing for Artemis and her maidens—but they actually had flaming hair and mismatched legs: one of a donkey's and the other was bronze prosthetic. The Goddess was pretty sure that the teenager was still breathing; the gentle rise and fall of their chest, the slight movement assured her of that. They had to device a plan if they wanted to save the poor mortal who was captured by those abhorrent creatures.

"So, what do we do with him?" the first empousa asked, raising an elegant brow at her companions. She had long, wavy blonde-hair that was tied up in a ponytail and a pair of striking cerulean eyes. She may be pretty with her slightly-tanned complexion, if not for her disturbing lower body and thick make-up.

"Isn't it obvious? We eat him; what else do you think we're going to do with him, idiot?" the second empousa answered exasperatedly, crossing her arms on her chest. This one had short auburn-hair and tantalising crimson eyes.

"Probably turn him into a servant. Though, I must say, I'd prefer eating him after his service; it's not fun if we finish him off right now," the third empousa shrugged languidly. She looked exactly alike the previous speaker, as if they were twins, but with waist-length hair.

"Ditto. This guy will be fun to mess with and, if we get tired of him, well, we would just drain him of his blood ," the fourth agreed, kneeling before the unconscious teen and taking his hand in hers. She bared her razor-sharp canines, her black-hair draping over one side of her face, and her sepia eyes shining dangerously. Her teeth had almost pierced the teenager's skin when she was suddenly slapped over the back of her head for her impatience by the other empousa.

Speculating at the scene made Thalia want to strike; she couldn't stay still any longer, her ADHD was acting up. Thalia glanced at Artemis expectantly, silently begging the goddess to let her go and end the empousai's lives. Her stomach did somersaults when she saw the four creatures kneel beside the body, inhaling the human's scent and opening their mouths to pierce his skin and suck his blood.

"Now," Artemis whispered, getting into a stance as she got her bow and arrows ready. She aimed at one of the empousai, the head of the arrow glinting as the moon shone upon it. She gripped the handle of the bow harder whilst pulling the string a bit more and let it go. The arrow whizzed past the trees and was punctured directly at the red-headed empousa's head, instantly turning her into dust.

A collective gasp escaped the others' lips, and Thalia went charging with her spear and Aegis. She duelled all of them, dodging the empousa's attacks by blocking them with Aegis. They froze momentarily at the sight of the shield, and Thalia took that as an opportunity to use her spear to stab one of them right through the heart. The unlucky empousa dissolved into dust; its remains ware carried away by the wind.

The remaining two empousai left tried to go for Thalia's head, but was shot down by Artemis' speeding silver arrows. They, too, perished to nothingness, but the goddess and demigod knew there would be more.

Artemis' bow and arrows disappeared the moment she didn't need them any more, and Thalia's spear once again turned into a mace canister, whilst Aegis became a shiny silver bracelet. Thalia looked at Artemis questioningly, seeking answers to her unspoken questions. Finally, being unable to bear it any longer, Thalia asked in both curiosity and anxiety, "Do you think they're working for someone, Lady Artemis?"

"I do not know," Artemis admitted, shaking her head. She then tucked a stray of auburn hair behind her ear so that it wouldn't be a hindrance. "However, we should tend to the mortal, and make sure he is all right." She indicated at the teen lying almost lifelessly on the grassy plains with her thumb. Thalia followed where her mistress was pointing to; her eyes widened and her mouth hung wide open when she saw the wounded body behind Artemis.

"Lady Artemis," Thalia gasped, staring at the body in a mixture of disbelief and horror, "t—that's..." She felt a lump form in her throat, making it hard for her to continue. She couldn't believe what was in front of her; there must be some huge mistake! That boy was...

"What is it, Thalia?" Artemis frowned, disliking the expression her half-sister had on her face. She turned around, and stood motionless as a statue whilst staring at the body, for she now understood why Thalia appeared devastated.

Before them was a young man wearing bloodstained clothing; his denim trousers had holes and several whip marks, and the same could be said with his once-white T-shirt as both was coated in crimson blood. The young man had a lightly-tanned complexion and black hair with a streak of grey; Artemis didn't need to know what colour his eyes were as everything she noted so far was enough to tell her that it was a person she and Thalia knew all too well.

The man was none other than Percy Jackson.

* * *

A/N: The title means "everlasting", if you are wondering, and it is also a type of flower. This is my first Pertemis fan fiction, please be kind to me? :) I have not actually read _The Last Olympian_ yet, but my friend spoiled me some parts of it (She's a _great_ friend, isn't she?). However, I will check it out if the library has it.

-Edit: I have finally finished reading _The Last Olympian_ and read through this instalment and made corrections. I hope this seems good enough for ye? :)-

Thank you for reading. Please review. ConCrits are welcome. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**'Artemisias'**

— _murasaki no chou  
_

Summary: Percy never bathed in the River Styx, therefore he isn't invulnerable. Five years had passed since the battle against Kronos and his army, but what would happen if things go wrong? Percy and the goddess, Artemis, are slowly developing feelings toward each other; that can't end well, can it? Meanwhile, a new enemy has appeared, but no one knows who or what it is.

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and I never will.

**-Edit: This chapter is re-uploaded because I made corrections. I apologise for the errors.-**

* * *

They were still pretty shaken after retrieving Percy Jackson and treating his wounds. They didn't know how he, of all people, would end up being badly wounded and captured by a bunch of empousai. Artemis and Thalia wouldn't admit it, but they had begun to worry; much more than hellhounds that keep on spawning out of nowhere. The two had a feeling of dread; that an enemy they hadn't known before existed.

It was the middle of June; the month where students have their Summer Holidays. Percy was supposed to be in Camp Half-Blood the moment school ended, but the fact that he was here, tortured until he was almost lifeless, told them that something was awfully wrong. Maybe Artemis and the others would be able to get an answer once he awoke. For now, they should concentrate on helping him heal.

Artemis was standing by the hearth, gazing at the moon above, deep in thought. Endless possibilities were racing through her mind; foes that might be behind this, reasons why mythological creatures were showing up, how Percy was tied up in this situation and so much more. She could call for a meeting in Olympus, but what if her assumptions were wrong? Gods, this was starting to aggravate her; what could she do?

"My Lady," a voice said from behind her. Artemis glanced above her shoulder and, for a moment, she thought she saw her deceased lieutenant, Zoë Nightshade, until she got a better look; it was Thalia Grace. Artemis sighed, not sure what that indicated, and motioned Thalia to come stand beside her by the hearth.

"I thought I told you to take a rest and not to worry, I shall keep watch for tonight," Artemis said, her attention now on the crimson fire dancing in front of them. She wasn't sure on what to do now; she thought that everything would go back to normal—or as normal as having the mythologies exist—once they defeated Kronos. Sure, they would still face monsters from time to time, but with the way things are heading… Artemis couldn't find any answers to her questions.

"But—" Thalia wasn't able to finish her sentence as Artemis held a hand up, telling her that it was enough. However, Thalia wouldn't back down; she felt the need to assure her half-sister about this crisis; to tell her that she wasn't alone in facing this. "My Lady, I think that, between the two of us, you're the one who needs the most rest." Thalia continued, halting Artemis' upcoming protest, "Trust me on this one, okay?" She gave Artemis a gentle smile, making her sigh in defeat.

"If there is anything I can help you with, inform me; I will be in my tent," Artemis said, gazing at the bright, silver full moon shining with the stars in the azure sky for one last time. She turned around, her back facing Thalia whose eyes are staring deeply at her figure with worry, and made her way to her quarters. She would have to repay Thalia back for her kindness.

When Artemis was gone, Thalia heaved out an audible sigh. She had sensed how stressed Artemis was with the unpredictable circumstances. Thalia knew how heavy the burdens Artemis carried were; she wanted to lift some of them off her shoulders and enlighten her, even for a little bit.

Focusing her gaze on one of the tents, Thalia's eyes narrowed a fraction. In that same green tent, Percy's injuries were being tended by one of the Hunters. She knew that that Hunter didn't like touching Percy, but it was an order given by Artemis and this was the man that helped them stop Kronos, so she had no choice.

Thalia sighed deeply, her dark eyes softening in sorrow. _'Percy, what happened to you? What is going on? Do you know anything that could help us?'_ she inwardly begged that her dear cousin would have the answers to these endless questions. It would seem that they would have to depend on him once more; Thalia just hoped that there wouldn't be any unwanted sacrifices this time.

* * *

Morning came a little earlier the next day; the sun had already just risen, painting the land a slightly deep shade of yellow. There wasn't a lot of heat being radiated from it, but Thalia knew that it would increase after a couple of hours. Thalia inwardly cursed Apollo for being an early riser; knowing him, the God of the Sun would give his 'little sis'—who was, in fact, older than him—and the Hunters a visit. That didn't happen on a daily basis, but Thalia had a feeling he would be making an appearance soon enough.

Thalia looked around the camp-site, noting that the Hunters would be waking up in a short while. She stifled a yawn, and rubbed her eyes to keep them from closing. She didn't get much sleep last night; there was a lot on her mind, and those thoughts were preventing her from drifting to her dream land. Thalia knew that Artemis would surely scold her because of this.

The demigod walked over to the tent where medical treatments were given. She pushed open the entrance with the back of her right hand, and took a peek inside. It was hard to see, but Thalia was able to distinguish the objects that were positioned all around. She took her runners off outside and noiselessly walked inside; careful not to wake the sleeping figure in the corner.

There were about five beds in total; four were vacant while one of them was currently occupied, and they were aligned at the right-hand side. On the left-hand side, there was a long, wooden table that almost took half of the tent's length, and on it were neatly stacked nectars and ambrosia. Accompanying those were first-aid kits and things that belonged to Percy; Thalia could make out, in the dimly-lit space, that one of the things there was the Son of Poseidon's _Anaklusmos_. At the pen's side was a basin of water, a cloth was soaked in it.

Thalia could feel the smooth, soft texture of the carpet beneath her feet, giving her a tickling feeling whenever she took a step. She approached Percy's bed with swift, careful movements until she was right beside his sleeping form. She touched her cousin's forehead, noticing how cool his skin felt beneath her hand. It worried Thalia how the male looked pale as death; the only thing that assured her was his deep, equal breathing.

Thalia pulled a stool underneath the bed and sat on it. She examined Percy's features carefully; his wounds and injuries had almost reduced to nothing, which Thalia assumed was because of his healing powers when he comes in contact with water. His fringe covered one side of his face as his head was positioned looking to one direction. Thalia could feel his anxiety; his brows met with a crease on his forehead, his mouth trembling and forming incoherent words, and he was breaking into a cold sweat. Thalia wished there was something she could do to help him; alas, she wasn't really good in the field of medicine.

"C—Con…" Percy muttered, gasping like couldn't breathe. He began to thrash relentlessly on the bed as if struggling with the unknown. Percy looked like he was in pain, pain so excruciating that he couldn't stop his body from reacting violently. He kicked the bed sheets away from him, mumbling endless nonsense that Thalia couldn't quite catch.

Thalia was inwardly panicking, unsure of what to do. Should she alert Artemis? Should she call one of the Hunters? How would she deal with this? Thalia never felt so useless in her life. Here, her cousin was, looking as if he had gone crazy, while all she could do was stand there, dumbfounded.

Thalia grabbed his shoulders, the dry blood cracked on his shirt feeling foreign against her touch. She tried to stop his movements with her hold, telling him reassuring words to no avail. Percy continued to tussle, his fist colliding with Thalia's stomach for a few times. He appeared like a troubled patient in a mental hospital, screaming unintelligible words again and again. "Danger… Danger… Danger! He's coming! No!"

"Percy, calm down!" Thalia pleaded, pushing him firmly onto the bed. She could shock him with lightning, but she feared of the consequence that might follow her action. Doing so might even cause more uproar, and she couldn't afford to hurt him in a way that would never help him.

Three Hunters went rushing inside the tent, accompanying Thalia on making him stop. They each grabbed his arms and legs, preventing him from hurting himself and the others. "Knock him unconscious! We can't stay like this forever!" one of the distressed Hunters yelled, growling as Percy's nee almost hit her in the face.

"But how?" responded the others, looking helplessly. They glanced at Thalia with pleading eyes, but she was too absorbed in her own thoughts, completely unaware of the Hunters asking for her help. The situation seemed hopeless, that was, until, a hand touched Percy's forehead and a blinding light embraced the place.

Everything became still, and the Hunters and Thalia looked up to see a frowning Apollo with his twin sister, Artemis, at his side. He rested his hand on the demigod's forehead, eyes examining the boy professionally. Apollo gazed at them, after a while, and gave out a weary sigh. "It seems… that whoever abducted Percy left some sort of curse on him," he said, crossing his arms on his chest with a troubled expression.

"A… curse, you say?" Artemis asked, after moments of silence. Her eyes widened for a fraction, taking in the information her brother had given her. There were numerous people she could think of that would put a curse on the boy, but if she were to ponder too deeply into this, she might turn a blind eye on the real culprit. "Brother, do you know what kind of curse it is?"

"I don't think so, little sis," Apollo replied, scratching his head. He ignored the uplift of Artemis' brow at the mention of her being the younger between the two of them. Apollo's gaze landed on everyone in the room, an unusual serious expression on his face.

Apollo sighed for the umpteenth time that morning, running a hand through his messy, blonde locks. "Tell you what, I'll check on Percy's condition later. Right now, I still need to do my job. Well then, see ya!" Apollo tried to sound upbeat despite the agitation he was feeling inside. Like his sister, he had suspicions, but dwelling on it further might cause problems in the future. _'Who could have done this to him?'_

* * *

Two days had passed since the incident with Percy. Nothing really changed; everybody went hunting as usual, the only thing different was Apollo dropping by to examine Percy every night when his obligation in driving the sun was done. He didn't permit anyone to go inside the tent which kind of made the Hunters suspicious, nonetheless they understood that the god would want to analyse Percy in peace to find a solution to the problem.

Thalia watched the girls shoot arrows at the dummies they made out of wood from a tree branches. She could command, lead and train them if not for the thoughts that had been invading her mind recently. She was truly worried about her cousin, but she didn't dare show it in front of everybody. If asked what the problem was, she would only shrug it off as if it was nothing, when in truth it was.

Several times, Thalia found herself sitting by Percy's bed. She would care for him, which she found odd considering that she rarely did that to anyone. Oftentimes, she would bite her lower lip and stare at the direction where Percy laid. She couldn't help but feel for him; Percy was like a younger brother to her—just like Jason. She had grown attached to the dark-haired male, but not in a romantic way.

"Lieutenant!" a young girl, about the age of eleven, called from the training area, excitedly waving her hand at the Lieutenant of Artemis. She had dark-brown hair with natural light-brown streaks. The girl also had a pair of childish hazel eyes that sparkled with curiosity. She wore a white sleeveless t-shirt, short trousers and a pair of black runners; a silver parka was tied around her waist. In her hand was a wooden bow that she had to make in order to have a weapon of her own.

Thalia jumped from the branch, her sudden movements causing the leaves to flutter against the wind, and jogged to where the girl was standing. She had nearly forgotten that she had to show the girl how the Hunt operated; Lady Artemis assigned her to be the girl's 'mentor' until she could get used to the drills.

Thalia halted in front of the smiling girl who had a bow in one hand. Hunters didn't specifically need to carry quivers around; by just pulling the string of the bow, an arrow would instantly appear. It was very convenient for they didn't run out of arrows to shoot an enemy down.

"So, what can I help you with?" Thalia asked, resting a hand on her hip. "Tips on archery, how to identify different types of plants and what you can and cannot hunt?" Thalia suggested, shifting her weight from one leg to another. She really needed to learn how to control her ADHD; it was beginning to annoy her.

The girl had to look up because Thalia was a head taller than her. She shook her head, smiling sheepishly as she fumbled for words. "No, ma'am, I don't really need any help with those, but I... Uh..." she halted, scratching her head in confusion. Her brows wrinkled and her mouth opened and closed for a couple of times, attempting to find the right words to use.

"Thalia," the Lieutenant of Artemis said, puzzling the young Hunter before her. Thalia grinned, laying her hand at the back of her head. "Just 'Thalia' would do. I find it weird whenever someone calls me 'ma'am'; it makes me feel old, you know?" she said jokingly, making the Hunter blush—for what, Thalia didn't have a clue.

"I—I understand, ma—" the Hunter gulped when she saw her senior narrow her eyes warningly, "—Thalia, I mean. Um… are you sure you want me to call you by your given name? Can't I just, you know, address you like how the other Hunters do?" she asked hesitantly, just in case Thalia would strike her with lightning for being rude in the future.

"I'm sure of it," Thalia assured, patting the young girl on the head affectionately. "I've told the others several times to call me by my name, but they're too stubborn to even do it. I guess I could command them to, but that doesn't feel right," she sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist and using it to rest her other arm on top; her index finger touching her cheek, her middle finger covering her mouth, her thumb is tucked under her chin whilst her other fingers are clenched tightly together.

"Now that I think about it, I haven't asked for your name yet, have I?" Seeing the girl shake her head in saying "No" made Thalia a little guilty. She had asked the other Hunters for their names when they first joined, or the Hunters before her, but forgetting to do it with the newest Hunter… All she could say was that she was beyond embarrassed.

"M—my name?" the girl stuttered, her eyes widening and cheeks flaming. Nobody had really asked for her name; she thought it deemed unimportant—that she needed to do something to impress her sisters to be accepted. She did think she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't help it; she always stayed in the shadows and never went to the light. "Um… T—Thalia, I'm—"

The maiden didn't get a chance to say her name because of a sudden interruption. "L—Lieutenant! We've got a huge problem!" a Hunter said, panting deeply. She had her hands on her knees, back hunched. She looked up at Thalia who was asking what was wrong, sweat running from the Hunter's forehead to her cheeks; her blonde fringe on the way of her vision.

"It's the Son of Poseidon, ma'am! He's having one of those fits again!"

* * *

Upon hearing the news from one of the Hunters, Thalia dashed to the direction of the medical tent, her heart beating like palpitation. She felt like she was suffocating; Percy was in that condition again? Was that for real? If so, she needed to act soon before it was too late—before he harmed, not only himself, but everyone around him, as well.

When she reached her destination, she didn't have a second thought and barged right in. "Percy!" she yelled as loud as her dry throat could let her, before standing frozen in place. Thalia's eyes widened like dinner plates, her mouth wide agape, a cold sweat tracing her youthful visage.

Before her were two Hunters almost knocked out, their bodies lying limply on the ground. Their clothing was tattered and fresh wounds were visible; a few droplets of blood were dripping from one's forehead. Thalia felt compelled to help them, but something was stopping her actions—particularly, her cousin.

Percy was glowing in a harsh, indigo light; his whole body lost in its light. Thalia thought her peripheral vision would break; that she would turn blind by the second she looked directly at the light. She heard him scream out words she couldn't possibly understand repeatedly like a broken tape recorder.

They needed Apollo immediately, but he was still attending to his duties.

Thalia heard two shocked gasps behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes watering and lips quivering in anxiety. She saw the girls she was with earlier, and Thalia knew she would need both of their help. The Lieutenant of Artemis put on a courageous front, fists clenched tightly at her sides that it began to draw blood.

"Lydia," Thalia said in her commander voice, "please inform Lady Artemis and, if possible, Lord Apollo of our situation. It's best if they know the situation, got it?" The aforementioned girl nodded, mouthing a "Yes, Ma'am!" before she ran—away from the place and heading to the unknown.

Before Thalia could even utter a word to the maiden who stood fearfully at her side, Percy began to scream one word continuously, "_**Contúirt! Contúirt! Contúirt!**_" He attempted to get out of bed, but he was tied securely on it with a rope that the two unconscious Hunters probably bound him with.

Thalia went to his side in a flash, trying to remember the words Apollo told her before he returned to Mount Olympus the first day he visited Percy at their camp-site.

_"All you need to do is give him this elixir. Make sure he swallowed it all in for it to work. Use it in case he starts acting up like this again," the God of the Sun said, handing her a small bottle which contained for about ten millilitre of an unknown substance. He grabbed both her shoulders, forcing her to look at him straight in the eyes, "Use it in emergency cases only, okay, sis?" Apollo winked at her._

_"In… emergency cases only," Thalia repeated, nodding to herself in satisfaction when she bore that in mind. "Got it. Thank you, Lord Apollo." She averted her gaze from him, blushing a light shade of pink. Thalia wasn't really a person who would owe another; she found it embarrassing by just saying a word of gratitude._

_"Yeah, no problem," Apollo smiled, ruffling her hair lightly, making Thalia raise an eyebrow quizzically. "Otherwise, the elixir might harm Percy instead of saving him. Like everybody says: 'If worse comes to worst'… well, you get the idea. Just be careful with it, sis."_

Reaching into the pocket of her trousers, Thalia pulled out the elixir and took off the cap. It didn't have any particular smell, but Thalia felt a headache coming along when she sniffed it; she wouldn't take any chances of endangering herself any further with the mysterious medicine.

Thalia looked at Percy sympathetically; she couldn't fathom how much pain he was undergoing, but she knew that she couldn't compare it to her own. Percy was still thrashing restlessly, deafening shrieks irritating Thalia's ears. She couldn't bear watch him suffer any more than he was now.

"_**Contúirt! Contúirt!**_" Percy screamed hoarsely, his movements slowing down by the second. "_**He is coming! Help me! The Celtic Gods are coming to kill us! No!**_" Not bearing it any more, Thalia held his forehead in place, preventing it from moving anywhere else. Clutching the elixir in her other hand, Thalia poured some of the medicine in his mouth.

Percy gurgled, his body turning rigid until he stopped moving altogether. The blinding blue light slowly died down, and the sight made Thalia gasp in despair. Percy's hair was turning grey; his distraught features making him appear older than he was. However, what Thalia found heartbreaking was the fact that Percy's skin was scorched and burnt. It would seem that the light didn't only blind anyone, but it also burnt his skin.

Thalia wasn't sure if giving him nectar and ambrosia would cure him, or if he was soaked with water. From the looks of it, Percy's body was badly injured and it would seem that it was incurable. She would need Apollo to tend to him, but he was nowhere near their camp-site.

Almost losing hope, Thalia felt a hand touch hers. She glanced down and saw the girl she had been conversing with earlier. Before Thalia could even speak, the Hunter uttered in a serious tone, "Don't worry, Thalia, Perseus can be healed. I'll help, but…"

"But?" Thalia asked her face grim. She faced her fully, wondering how the girl could be of assistance with these impossible to heal wounds. Just when Thalia thought everything would be okay… there always had to be a catch.

"I didn't know there was someone other than me," she continued as if Thalia didn't even speak. Her sentence puzzled Thalia all the more; what did she mean by that? Someone other than her? It didn't make any sense!

"Thalia, I think we have a problem far more serious than we thought," the maiden said, her eyes turning dark with morose. She took a deep breath and met Thalia's electric blue eyes with her dark ones, "Perseus said that a danger is coming."

"What… do you mean? Who… are you, really?" Thalia choked out the words, finding it hard to use her voice. She felt like her vocal cords had been cut, preventing her from speaking.

"I am Sirona, the Celtic Goddess of Healing. I thought everybody else was still in a deep slumber; looks like I'm mistaken," Sirona said in a bitter tone, narrowing her eyes at nothing in particular. "Thalia, Perseus said that Segomo is awake… and that the other deities are planning to kill us."

"I could guess that much," Thalia let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding back. She bit her lower lip, crossing her arms on her chest and focusing her weight on one of her legs. "But, do you know where they are, currently? Are they in America like the Greek gods?"

"No," Sirona said firmly, shaking her head. She closed her eyes, running a shaky hand through her black tresses. "Perseus used a language that is clearly not in English. It is Gaeilge which means…"

"Which means, what?" Thalia asked, having a slight clue on what the goddess before her was implying. However, she didn't dare voice her thoughts; she wanted Sirona to confirm it.

"Like the Greek deities, the Celtic deities move, too," Sirona said, both Hunters feeling the atmosphere tense around them. Sirona touched Percy's hand, rubbing her thumb on his palm which was healing him carefully. "The Celtic deities are in a country where Gaeilge is spoken. Thalia, they are currently in Éire—the west of Ireland, to be exact."

* * *

A/N: My sincere apologies on not updating for so long; I've been busy and under pressure of my teachers. I won't be updating, sadly, for another month because I have my Mock Exams on the 28 February until the 9th March. Oh, and we can't also forget about my _beloved_ Junior Certificate. T_T You can go to my profile for more details...

One last note: _Please_ read the summary at the top of the page; I made some changes concerning Percy. Yes, I _do_ know that he is invulnerable because he bathed in the River Styx but, in this story, he didn't. It's needed for my plot, so please try to understand.

Edit: I decided to use English instead, with a little Irish at the side. I'm afraid I can't form proper sentences without grammatical errors in Irish. It's a very _complex_, let's say, language for me. I don't really want to risk it. ^^; So, from now on, anything in bold and italic (combined) are Irish.

Thank you for reading. Please review. ConCrits are welcome. :)


	3. Chapter 3

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